


Great Show

by HeartHarps



Category: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Mexican Funeral is successful
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-01
Updated: 2018-04-12
Packaged: 2019-04-16 21:02:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14173326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeartHarps/pseuds/HeartHarps
Summary: “Great show,” Dirk said, and pulled Todd into a hug.And with those words, Todd felt something he'd never felt before.Or, the one where Todd was destined to be a musician from day 1.





	1. The Right Person

**Author's Note:**

> Very bare-bones get-together fic. Happy Easter!

Everyone fell in love with Todd when he said, “Excuse me.” He was the most polite kid on the planet. When adults met him, they immediately pictured someone out there with a discrete “Please” or “Thank you” tattoo, tucked away on a hip or foot. Because that was how the soulmarks worked; they documented the words your soulmate would say when you knew you were in love with them, reflecting the personality of your soulmate in the location and design.

Conversely, people understood why this angel of a child had a large, obnoxious phrase scrawled across his chest, even though it looked a little out of place. They immediately pictured Todd’s soulmate as somebody rowdy and rambunctious, causing trouble and making messes. The tattoo’s visual was so striking against Todd’s backdrop, very few people took the time to think on the actual words.

For a very long time, Todd heavily contrasted his tattoo. At 4, he never threw tantrums, and asked for what he wanted. At 7, he became the perfect big brother who always stayed extra quiet during nap time. He listened when told and came when beckoned.

So when, at 10, Todd went to his parents and asked for piano lessons, they really _really_ wanted to say yes. He deserved it. But there was one thing holding them back, one thing Todd didn't know he was asking for. After a couple days deliberation, they took Todd into the bathroom, told him to take off his shirt, and talked about what “Great Show” meant.

 

\+ 20 years later

Todd was looking at himself, wearing nothing but sweatpants and a Gibson, pretending to dance around and rock out. The words “Great Show” stared up at him from the magazine cover.

“Damn,” Amanda commented, snatching the book out of his hands.

“Hey!” He spat, standing up and grabbing it back.

Amanda just let him take it. “You still look like a dork. Even on _Guitar World_.”

Todd managed to ignore her as he racked his brain and furiously flipped the pages, trying to remember what he said in that interview six weeks ago. Obviously they had focused on his tattoo—

_Beep beep!_

“Can't you read that on the way?” Amanda asked.

Todd cursed quietly. He shoved the magazine into his backpack and followed her to the front door.

\- 6 hours later

“Great show!” Suzie, one of the record label execs, said to Todd and the rest of Mexican Funeral as they poured into the green room at the Kirkland Centre.

They were all sweaty and exhausted. Vic, Ross and Kidder got away with nods, but Todd was the frontman here, so he went over to Suzie to shake her hand. “Thank you.”

“I just wanted to wish you all a great tour,” She said. “Don't party too hard. I'll see you in New York, okay?”

“Sounds good,” Todd responded, and thankfully she took her leave.

 _Slam._ “Oh my god,” Vic exclaimed once the door shut, and when Todd looked over, he realized she had taken the copy of next month’s _Guitar World_ out of his bag.

“Dude!”

“No way.”

“Come on,” Todd asked, dragging himself around the couch to try and get it away from her.

But Kidder and Ross had it now, crumpling and jeering at the cover. Todd just sighed and sunk into the couch.

“Page 57.”

“This oughta be good.”

When Todd looked, Vic was just staring back, bemused, obviously pleased with herself. Kidder was thumbing through the pages. Vic started to work a headband around her hair. Todd just pulled out his phone.

“ _My parents were terrified_ ,” Kidder read, and he and Vic both started laughing. “ _That my soulmate would be some trashy groupie. They paid for classical piano, classical guitar, but I love punk and alternative._ ”

Ross took over. “ _Well I haven't met my soulmate yet so I have to keep playing until the right person comes up to me after a show_.”

“Aww!”

“Aw, Todd.”

“Can I have it back now?” Todd asked, trying to keep the smile off his face.

“I love my keyboardist Kidder so much I would die for him,” Kidder pretended to read. “Thanks buddy!”

That made Todd laugh, he couldn't help it. And that's where they were, five minutes later when someone knocked on the door: passing Todd's interview around and joking and laughing.

 _Knock knock_. “Hello?”

Todd was the only one who looked up at the employee, inexplicably wearing red jeans and a yellow leather jacket. He said something, but Todd couldn't hear, so he removed himself from the circle of couches. “Sorry.”

“Farah wants everyone out in twenty,” The staffer informed, in a distinctly British accent.

Todd looked around, cursed quietly and then addressed the staffer again. “Anything for Farah. Thanks.”

He started to leave, but stopped when Todd spoke up.

“Oh, are you with us?” Todd asked, unsure if the employee was working for the Kirkland or the tour.

The staffer smiled and said, “Yes, I'll be bothering you for the next 6 months. Team Morbid Memories,” He pretended to cheer. He was referring to the name of the crew, which took its name from the tour, which took its name from Mexican Funeral’s latest album.

Todd stuck out his hand. “Todd. I look forward to being bothered.”

The staffer looked a little surprised but returned it. “Dirk Gently. I'm the assistant stage manager,” He explained.

Todd squinted a little as he thought. “So you work under…Wilson?” He asked, referring to the woman he knew as the stage manager.

“I work under the DSM Assistent, who works under Wilson.”

“But I thought you were the assistant.”

Dirk realized the confusion. “I am. The deputy stage manager's name is Assis _tent_. It's ridiculous.”

“Yeah, that is,” Todd confirmed, as Dirk pressed one finger to his earpiece.

“I have to go,” Dirk said, “Twenty minutes!”


	2. Worry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are 2 buses.

\+ Many minutes after twenty minutes later

“Alright Team Morbid Memories,” Wilson said to the bus full of musicians and crew, “Great show.”

The bus cheered. Kidder slapped a hand on Todd's shoulder and shook him back and forth.

“Now we just have to do it 100 more times. You all have digital copies of the rest of the schedule, which has us in Portland two nights from now. I also added all your phone numbers so we can reach each other. Assistent?”

A scrawny man with a nervous face stood up. “Hi guys, I'm the deputy stage manager Michael Assistent. You can call me Mike. I added a flowchart to the Drive, detailing what concerns go to which manager.”

“Who handles coffee runs?” Vic asked point blank.

Assistent didn't skip a beat. “It's in the chart.”

“What if I accidentally set a pile of garbage on fire?”

Todd could see his jaw clench. 

“The chart. Thanks.”

After more cheering and the final packing up, the crew got on the crew bus and the band stayed on the band bus and they were off. Vic and Kidder liked to play Smash after shows, so they managed to set that up in a bunk. Ross was sleeping, as usual. Amanda was on the band bus too. She was on the tour to help sell merch and keep the social media up, but really she was there because Todd wanted her there. So Amanda was on the band bus too, queueing tweets and instagrams. The crew bus was carrying Wilson, Dirk, Assistent, and the security people Farah and Ed just a few metres behind.

Which left Todd to his own devices. Particularly, his cellphone.

Dirk Gently ASM

Todd: is that assistent guy for real?

Dirk: yeah he's always like that. I told you. ridiculous

Dirk: he put me in charge of emotional support

Todd: dirk, im sad

Dirk: that's why you're in a punk band!

Todd: that's true. punk music always make me feel better. what should i listen to

Dirk: beauty unhinged

Todd: yikes. not my best work

Dirk: the second verse makes my whole life

Todd: thanks lol

 

\+ 2 weeks later

“Great show!” Dirk said. “Awesome job!” His hand was out for the band members to high five him as they left the stage. Todd, Ross, Vic, and…

Kidder passed. He held his right wrist in his left hand and gave Dirk a nod. 

That was weird. Dirk double checked the wing was clear and headed to follow everyone into the green room. Everyone except Todd, who was waiting outside and stopped Dirk to ask, “Hey, what'd you think of  _ Peace _ ?” 

Dirk realized he couldn't see into the green room for Todd blocking his way, then he realized Todd was talking to him. “Hm? Great! The lyric change, the lyrics were great.”

Todd nodded. He glanced quickly behind himself, then asked, “Kidder?”

“Yeah,” Dirk said, relieved he wouldn’t have to sniff out the issue manually. “What's up with him?”

Todd relaxed. “He's had this chronic thing with his wrist forever. He'll be fine.”

Dirk nodded. “I should have known that.”

“It's okay. I think Assistent diverted all medical issues directly to Wilson,” Todd said, and waited for Dirk to look at him.

Dirk did. Todd was smiling a little bit, in a concerned kind of way. Dirk smiled and chuckled a little bit, which Todd copied. “You're right, actually,” Dirk noted.

Todd rolled his eyes. “Relax. Stop worrying so much.”

 

+

“Worry.”

“Hm?” Todd said, looking up from his guitar to address Dirk, where he sat across the bus.

“ _Break your promise in a hurry, gone without a single sorry_ ,” Dirk said, repeating the lyrics Todd had just been singing. “It could be _a single_ _worry_.”

Todd consulted the notebook he was scratching lyrics in. The page read  _Amanda_ in block letters at the top. He looked back to the strings. His fingers found the chord and Todd sang. He changed  _ sorry  _ to  _ worry _ . Cutting the note short, Todd nodded and reached for his pencil. “Thanks,” He said.

Dirk just smiled to himself and looked back to the hotel website he was supposed to be reading. He tried, but no matter how long he stared, his brain refused to process anything but Todd singing.

 

+

“And then she revealed Michael had been her soulmate the whole time!”

“I couldn't believe it!”

“They were so cute.”

“And the ending was so sweet.”

_ Honk honk! _ The band bus sounded.

_ Hoooonk! _ The crew bus sounded. 

“I'm coming!” Todd yelled back.

Dirk dropped one hand onto Todd's shoulder and then pointed at him. “I'll text you.”

“Yeah. See you in 8 hours.”

“Bye,” Dirk said, holding a smile as Todd left and got onto his bus. For a moment, Dirk's feet didn't move. He just stood and watched Todd go.

_ Hoooooooonk! _

“Gently!” Wilson yelled across the parking lot.

Dirk turned and ran.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our boys are bonding!   
> I know this chapter is short. The last two are longer.  
> Kudos if you're in a punk band because you're sad! Do [this](https://machawicket.tumblr.com/post/172393638447) fic trope bracket and comment your favourite trope! I'm super curious, and always looking for inspiration :)


	3. Just You and Your Guitar

“We have to cut the set short,” Wilson said, and something turned in Dirk’s stomach. All the stage managers were packed into the band bus while they day-drove to Denver. “ _ Gold Teeth _ or  _ Bubblegum _ , Todd and Kidder can decide.”

Todd and Kidder looked at each other and quietly agreed to cut  _ Bubblegum _ .

Dirk, who had been quiet in this meeting and every other one, finally decided to speak up. “That doesn't mean we shorten the concert,” He said. Everyone looked at him. He didn't elaborate.

“How?” Wilson eventually spat.

“...I don't know,” Dirk announced, and there was a chorus of annoyed sounds. Dirk panicked and continued, “Don't play  _ Bubblegum _ , and extend Todd's solo in  _ Beauty Unhinged _ .”

Todd grimaced. “Not my best work.”

“And I still play during that,” Kidder informed, “It's killer on my wrist.”

Dirk couldn’t think of anything else before Wilson scoffed and announced, “Like I said. Cut the set. Meeting adjourned.”

 

+

_ TB: I wrote my first song when I was 14. Just me and my little Yamaha. I played it for my sister and she's been my biggest fan ever since. _

“Hey,” A voice suddenly said, and Dirk knew it was Todd's.

Dirk sat up and shut the magazine. “Hey! I thought… How's sound check?”

“Good,” Todd said, snagging his backpack and starting to dig through it. “Just grabbing my lip balm. What do you think?”

“...Hm?”

“The article. I didn't know those were still floating around.”

Dirk pretended to just notice the magazine in his hands. “This? I…think it's…good.”

Todd gave him that delighted disbelieving look again, like Dirk was the most ridiculous person he'd ever met. Considering Todd was dressed in all black and Dirk was wearing a turquoise leather jacket, it wasn't implausible. Todd just moved to the vanity, picked up an eyeliner and asked, teasingly, “So, have you  _ fallen in love _ yet?” 

Dirk couldn't help but feel extremely awkward, sitting in Todd's dressing room, taking up his couch space. “No,” He answered. “I’m sure, because no one's ever even said those words to me.”

“You’re making me curious,” Todd remarked across the room.

Dirk watched as Todd half-crouched before the mirror, coaxing the black pencil onto his waterline. In the reflection, Dirk could see the curling tips of letters poking up over the neckline of Todd’s shirt. “Is it annoying have people say it to you all the time?”

Todd made a face. He sighed, gave up at the vanity and went to sit across from Dirk. “I think,” He started as he flopped down, “I wanted to get over it. I didn’t want to react to it anymore, but I still do. Every time.”

Dirk just nodded. He could see Todd was thinking, maybe remembering the times Dirk had told him, “Great show.” Or maybe all the times he’d thought,  _ Am I in love _ ? 

Then the moment ended, and Todd’s hazy look passed. “Anyways, I have another great show to do,” He announced, standing, then laughing. “Maybe I’m my own soulmate.”

Dirk laughed back, moving to follow him out of the green room. “I’m going to tell your soulmate you said that. Then they’ll hate you forever and you’ll die alone.”

“That’s what friends are for.”

 

\+ Two cities later

“I did it,” Dirk announced, bursting into Todd's hotel room. 

Todd was at the desk in a rolling chair so he spun to face Dirk and said, “Did what?”

“I figured out the last set,” He claimed, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Todd swiveled appropriately and gave an apprehensive look. “Okay.”

“Your solo. Not in  _ Beauty Unhinged _ , that other song you play sometimes. Just you and your guitar.”

“No, Dirk—”

“Yes, Todd, you're good enough, the song is amazing, and you're delusional if you think Kidder, Vic and Ross won't agree.”

“Wilson will  _ never _ go for it.”

“Let me worry about her.”

Todd looked down. He was fiddling with the hem of his flannel. Dirk listened to him breath.

After a moment, Dirk said, “Todd?”

Todd lifted his head. His face was sad, but the corners of his mouth had moved up in something like a smile. “I don't know if I can.”

Dirk's chest seized. “Oh course you can,” He said, but Todd just shook his head and swiveled back around to face the desk. “Will you think about it?” Dirk asked.

Todd inhaled, and exhaled. “Yeah.”

Dirk left, knowing that was the most he should have hoped for.

 

+

Dirk

Dirk: how u feeling?

Todd: nervous

Todd: but good

Dirk: good :))) <3

 

+

After  _ Gold Teeth _ , Kidder gave Todd a nod, who pulled a stool up to his microphone. The crowd was still cheering, so he waited until he was settled before addressing them. “Hey guys, I'm gonna sing for you.” The crowd cheered, and really, it eased Todd's nerves. Dirk had told him a million times that he could play kazoo on stage and the Funeral's fans would love it. They liked him, that much was clear. But Todd couldn't help it. He looked off one side of the stage, where sometimes he would see Dirk, standing, listening. 

Dirk was there. He shot Todd a thumbs up.

Todd smiled and looked back to the crowd. He breathed, felt out the first chord, and sang.

-

Todd’s adrenaline was coursing. His heart was pounding in his chest, and he could feel a nagging in his stomach.  _ Kidder _ , he thought.

Stashing his guitar, Todd jogged offstage to give Kidder a hug and thank him. Ross and Vic both poured compliments onto Todd. He soaked in the affection and praise as it came. But then, there was a moment when all three of them looked at him, the only compliments coming from the distant crowd now, when Todd realized it wasn’t Kidder. He still felt...weird.

_ Amanda _ , he thought next. The song he’d sung was for her, but she was out by merch, so that would have to—

_ Oh _ , Todd finally thought, as Dirk came into view and Todd felt his body physically relax. “Great show,” Dirk said, and pulled Todd into a hug.

And with those words, Todd felt something else, something he'd never felt before. Dirk's arms wrapped around him, and Todd just closed his eyes and thought,  _ I love you _ . This was it. Their chests pressed together, one blank and one marked, this was the moment that mark commemorated.

And it hit Todd like a ton of bricks.

Dirk let go.

“Dude, encore!” Ross called.

“Are you okay?” Kidder said, and everyone looked at Todd, and Todd realized he was crying.

“Yeah,” He said, wiped at his face, and listened to the crowd cheering for an encore. Dirk looked surprised. Todd breathed. “Let's do this.”


	4. Mind = Blown

\+ A few days later

It was late, and Todd thought everyone was sleeping, which is why he jumped and slammed his notebook shut when Amanda appeared and said, “Hey.”

Todd sat up in the booth. “Hey.”

She joined him at the bus’s dining table with a glass of water and a confused look. “What’s up?”

“Nothing,” He lied.

Amanda took a slow sip of her water. Then, “So, when did you change the lyrics to  _ Amanda _ ?”

_ Shit _ . Todd’s stomach turned. “What?”

“You changed  _ sorry  _ to  _ worry _ . In the second verse.”

Todd feigned casual recognition. This was the solo song he’d performed for the first time a few days before, the one he’d changed the lyrics to a while back when Dirk had suggested it. “Oh yeah. Just. Felt like it.”

“...Okay.” Sip.

Todd just sat there, avoiding her gaze, brainstorming how to get some privacy back here. He was halfway through something that was  _ nothing, really, please stop asking about it _ and he didn’t want to lose it. Maybe he could write in the bathroom… But Amanda knew how to stare at him just so that eventually, Todd broke down and admitted, “Dirk told me to.”

“Wow, rude,” Amanda said, and for the record, she was 100% joking, but Todd was in a hole now.

“He was just sitting there and suggested it. And it makes sense, I don’t know how I didn’t think of it before. And he’s been so nice since day 1 and now I think he’s my soulmate and—”

“ _ What _ ?” Amanda hissed.

“—now I don’t—. Yeah,” Todd said, realizing what he’d done.

Amanda put her hands to her forehead and then exploded her fingers, signaling  _ mind-blown _ . “Wow.”

Todd just nodded along dumbly, processing having said it out loud for the first time. “Yeah.”

“How did you know?” Amanda asked, “Don’t you get told ‘great show’ like a hundred times a day?”

“I just...knew,” Todd said. He stared at Amanda. 

She stared back. “Wow.”

“Yeah.”

“What are you working on?”

Todd sighed, and glanced at the cover of his notebook. “I didn’t  _ try _ to write him a song, but I’m not going to ignore it either.”

Amanda slowly reached over and slipped the book away from him. He wanted her to read it, but he was frustrated with himself and his emotions so he huffed and leaned back.

Once Todd got bored of watching the same dark fields passing the windows, he looked at Amanda as she read the lyrics. Her face was blank. Todd breathed. Amanda was his biggest fan, but also his biggest critic. Literally. She claimed brutal honesty was her little-sister duty.

Then, Amanda looked up and stated, “Todd, this is good.”

“...Really?” 

She nodded. “It’s clever, it’s sweet. I can tell it’s from the heart.”

Todd gave a nervous chuckle and took the book back. “Thanks.”

“So when are you going to sing it for him?”

 

+

Dirk first realized something was different when he got a few confusing sentence fragments over the headset. 

“—he can’t—”

“—last minute—”

He frowned to himself and looked around. He was alone in the right wing. Wilson was off stage left with the band as Todd quickly readied for his closing solo. After a moment of silence, Dirk asked, “What’s going on?”

“ _ Todd’s changing his song _ ,” Wilson said over the radio. Dirk could hear Amanda in the background saying assuring words.

Tonight, Todd looked over to where Dirk was standing, like he always did. But tonight, Dirk threw his arms out and contorted his face in efforts to convey a message of extreme confusion, instead of his signature thumbs up.

Todd’s smile didn’t waiver. He climbed onto the stool and set up. 

“ _ Should someone stop him _ ?”

“ _ He didn’t soundcheck this _ .”

“Hey guys, I have a new song for you tonight. It’s about my friend Dirk.”

The cheering was already loud, but it exploded as Todd talked.

“ _ Oh my god. _ ”

“ _ Did you know _ —”

“I know nothing about this,” Dirk hastily disclaimed into the radio.  _ What the hell was going on? _ He just tried to breathe and ignore the frantic chatter in his headset.

-

_ Fuck you for ruining my life _ _   
_ _ Bothering me all day and night _ _   
_ _ Fuck you, you text me all the time _ _   
_ _ So fuck you, for being in my life _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Fuck you, you always hang around _ _   
_ _ Making me laugh like you're some clown _ _   
_ _ Fuck you, I'm six feet underground  _ _   
_ _ So fuck you, for keeping me around _ _   
_ _   
_ _ I hate it when  _ _   
_ _ You just believe _ _   
_ _ In me _ _   
_ _ Condition-free _ _   
_ _   
_ _ I did not ask _ _   
_ _ I did not send _ _   
_ _ But you are here _ _   
_ _ You're my best friend _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Fuck you, you better see this through _ _   
_ _ If you broke my heart, all hope I'd lose _ _   
_ _ Fuck you, what else can I do _ _   
_ __ So guess what, I am in love with you

-

The emotion of the song plus the feedback from the crowd turned Todd almost delirious once he finished the song. He managed to slide off the stool and look to where Dirk was standing, just staring. 

Todd put down his guitar. He raised his arms.

Dirk walked out onto the stage and into them.

Back in that familiar place, that easy embrace, with the sweet scents and smooth textures that Todd had come to love, he could breathe again. Oxygen was returning to his brain, and tears found their way into his eyes.

When Dirk backed up, Todd was almost crying. He didn’t realize what was happening until the wrist zipper on Dirk’s leather jacket was retracted and Todd was reading the inside of Dirk’s forearm. In plain block letters, it said, “Fuck You.”

Todd was laughing, and he was crying, and asking, “Right now?”

Dirk nodded. “You?”   
Todd felt embarrassed but he didn’t know why. “The first night I played solo.”

They hugged again. There was no encore that night, but the audience didn’t mind.

 

+

Todd and Dirk were insufferable.

If they weren’t talking to each other, they were talking about each other. What did you think of this song Todd was working on for Dirk? Has Todd been drinking water today? They kissed goodbye if one of them left the room to pee. They fell asleep cuddling in the bus dining table booths. Todd had declared the band bus a chest-friendly zone, though no one was really sure what he gained from flaunting his ridiculous tattoo. Wilson, conversely, declared the crew bus to be a strict shirt-required zone. 

The thing was, Todd was happy, so Amanda, Vic, Ross, and Kidder were happy. (And who were Amanda and Vic kidding, they loved walking around in their bras.) Dirk and Todd were accountability hoes, so security was happy. And the press was going absolutely  _ ape-shit  _ for their story, so the bank accounts were happy, so Wilson and Assistent were happy. They were just two buses full of happy people, pretending they didn’t know Todd and Dirk were making out in the back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end!  
> Thanks for reading.

**Author's Note:**

> Check out [my tumblr](http://heartharps.tumblr.com/post/172327696603/teaser-great-show) for the full article! It will return. :)


End file.
